Ceremony honors female students and faculty

By: Sarah DiGiulio

Posted: 3/3/08

Sylvia Waters walked across the stage of Goldstein Auditorium to the microphone on Friday afternoon wearing all black. She looked at her notes and donned a pair of red-rimmed reading glasses to match her red patent leather two-inch heels.

"This is so exciting," said the artistic director of Ailey II, a modern dance company based in New York City. "This is awesome."

Waters told the story of how she, a black woman, was invited to direct modern dancer Alvin Ailey's second company and pursue her passion of dance as a career. After seeing a ballet performance at the Juilliard School in New York, she committed herself to dance.

"It was stunning," Waters said. "I left there in tears knowing I needed to do that. My vulnerabilities were tested on a daily basis."

Waters shared her story in the keynote address for Syracuse University's 2008 Women of Distinction Awards. The awards, sponsored by the Office of Student Life and the Division of Student Affairs, honored female students, faculty and staff leaders in the SU community.

Waters embodied what the awards were about, said Sarah Ross, the chair of the Women of Distinction Awards committee and assistant director of OSL.

"She's done a lot for women in the arts and women's leadership," Ross said.

The Women of Distinction Awards committee of nine students, staff and faculty presented eight awards.

Sylvia Waters received an honorary woman of distinction award. Jillian Drouin, Miriam Reed, Jennifer Kinney, Carol McCann and Jennifer Zhao received student awards. Kate Carey and Jossette Otero received faculty and staff awards.

"They're people that everybody knows," Ross said.

The winners are more than leaders-they are passionate people, she said.

Student winner Jennifer Kinney spent a year in Washington, D.C., teaching high school students about HIV awareness with AmeriCorps.

Kinney, a senior political science and policy studies major, completed 1,700 hours of community service work across a span of 10 months as part of the program.

"I'm combining service with my interests," Kinney said. "Equality is important for me."

Kinney grew up in diverse neighborhoods - a background that taught her racial equality work and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality work are important, she said.

Student winner Jillian Drouin broke the school record in the track and field pentathlon event earlier this month. But her award was based on more than that. The senior health and exercise science major won the award for serving breakfast at local Syracuse rescue missions at 6 a.m. and for tutoring students at the local high schools.

"Being athletes, the community supports us," Drouin said. "It's a way for us to give back."

The winners are involved in the community, said Jennifer Bevilacqua, associate director of OSL, who served on this year's selection committee.

It should be a focal point of the university to celebrate this type of leadership, Bevilacqua said.

Friday's ceremony was open to the public. It featured student performances by Orange Bhangra and the Black Celestial Choral Ensemble.

More than 100 SU community members sipped coffee and tea on white tablecloths as masters of ceremony Brian Spendley and Claudia Ferguson, both SU students, announced the winners.

Any SU student, staff or faculty member could have nominated a candidate. The committee selected the winners based on their leadership in the community, in an organization, in the classroom or in the field of their future profession.

The committee considered candidates' academic achievements, involvement in programs that promoted the enhancement of women and their participation in service and social justice efforts.

"I'm looking for a well-rounded individual," Bevilacqua said.

It's all in the name - these women have distinguished themselves in the Syracuse community, she said.

During her keynote address, Waters said she was proud to carry out her mentor, Alvin Ailey's legacy. She said she was proud to use dance to preserve and enrich her life and the lives of others.

As a teacher and artistic director, Waters nurtures young dancers.

"I create an environment and provide the tools," she said. "Dance is a powerful language - a celebration of life."

sdlguili@syr.edu